Our community has endured a great deal over the last two years, and just as we reopened our doors for summer camp in these uncertain times of Coronavirus, we were once again confronted with the staggering consequences of racism. As I pondered the best way to communicate our position on racial injustice, this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. kept coming to mind.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
So where do we stand?
We stand with you. We stand in solidarity with our Black community. We stand with all those already working towards racial justice, and with those eager to learn more about how they can help. Most importantly, we stand firm in our commitment to our girls. To providing them with a safe space to find their own voices. To providing them with the support, encouragement, and resources to learn to use their voices to speak up for themselves, to stand up for others, and to be a force for positive change in our world.
We pledge to continue our work of inspiring all girls to strong, smart and bold so that they may grow up to be healthy, educated, and independent. And we will continue to use our voice and our platform to advocate for racial justice because without that we can never achieve our vision of empowered girls in an equitable society.
The fight for racial justice will take all of us working together. Check out the Girls Inc. action plan for ways in which you can be involved.
Together we are better.
Niki Kelly, Executive Director